Kings over the Parkway
by girlinthegarden
Summary: Valentine's Day. "They... they were... together?" he strained to ask through his crying. Stan sniffled. "No, Ky..." Stan trailed off as he looked up at the ceiling. His vision blurred and his cheeks burned from heat, "they are together." He closed his eyes, and let the tears finally fall. "And they always will be."


_Author's Note: I meant to publish this on Valentine's Day but life happens, so here is this story. It is one that means a lot to me, because it's based on true events with my real life version of Bunny; two inseparable best friends who fell in love. And two of the most amazing friends I could have ever asked for. The title and song is "Soco Amaretto Lime" by Brand New. _

_Rest easy, my crazy boys. Valentine's Day will never be the same. I'll never forget. _

_You're now Kings over the Parkway. _

_I love you both so incredibly much._

* * *

><p>"What are you doing?!" that sharp whisper brought Kenny from his focused attempt to pack his binder conspicuously in the middle of class. He glanced to the redhead, whose green eyes looked at him, as if picking him apart, piece by piece, searching his soul for the answers. Kenny gave a shrug, then smirked.<p>

"Ditching," was his simple reply as he stuffed his already exploded pen in the pocket of his raggedy jeans. He saw the eyeroll from Kyle and watched as he returned to jotting down notes as their oblivious teacher kept writing them on the chalkboard. "She'll never even know I'm missing."

Kyle scoffed in response and Kenny saw Stan pass a note to him. He read the top of the note, to see who it was for, and saw the name "Ky" with a scribbled heart beside it. As Kenny silently stood up, he tossed it on Kyle's notebook. The auburn-haired boy jumped in mild surprise, but smiled appreciatively at Kenny and sent a loving look to his boyfriend, who stuck out his tongue. Kenny rolled his eyes, made a gagging motion, then tip toed to the back of the classroom. All eyes were on him as he crept closer and closer to the door, and he stopped moving as their teacher began to turn around.

She looked at the textbook, gave a huff, then erased half of what she had written.

The squeaking of the chalk allowed Kenny to shut the door without being found out.

The seventeen year old blonde ran down the cool hallway, he shivered slightly, and ducked to the senior lockers. As soon as he found his locker, number 159, he put in the code and heard the faint click. Without making a sound he packed his brown backpack, it had been Kevin's when he still went to school and had several holes in the cloth from the rats, and quickly zipped it.

In hand was also a little teddy bear and a dozen tulips. He had worked double shifts just to afford them, but it was so worth it.

Kenny couldn't bite back his grin as he ran down the hallway, passed the closed doors that he could hear muted lectures from, to the last room at the corner of the school. He glanced through the small window and saw Butters reading his English book project book. The dark blonde smiled and tapped once on the glass. The bright blonde looked up, slightly startled, and blushed when he saw Kenny.

He raised his hand, and Butters could faintly hear him ask if he could go to the office because he wasn't feeling well. His case was believed because half of the school was out from the flu epidemic that always came back around no matter how hard anyone tried to fight it.

"Ken... what're you doing?" Butters whispered as he saw the backpack and his hands behind his back. Kenny shrugged and nudged him with his shoulder as they started walking down the hall.

"I want to take you somewhere," the shorter boy looked at him curiously and sighed softly.

"I have English next hour..."

"It's eighth hour, you won't miss nothin', besides, Kyle will cover for you." Butters groaned and rested his head on Kenny's chest in defeat. Kenny grinned and quickly kissed his forehead. They couldn't risk being found out; not now at least.

Butters wasn't ready to announce that he was both gay and dating his best friend of eight years. Kenny wasn't afraid of the backlash, but he respected Butters' wishes and had kept his mouth shut; even from Stan and Kyle. Of course those two wouldn't care; they had been dating for two years. A year and a half of that duration had been kept to the knowledge of a mere handful of people; Kenny and Butters included.

Butters quickly packed his green messenger back and slung the one strap over his shoulder. He eyed Kenny carefully, and a blush crept on his cheeks as he saw the excitement in the younger boy's face.

"What...?" Butters asked warily. Kenny attempted to bite back his grin yet failed, and stomped his foot in excitement. "You didn't..." he trailed off as Kenny pulled his hands forward.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my love!" Kenny cried in a whisper, earning a surprised laugh and a tight hug.

Butters, swept away by emotion and the fact that Kenny was just too cute when he was excited, kissed him softly. This action surprised Kenny, who felt his heart race from the sheer force of Butters' kiss. The shorter blonde had been nervous to do much other than kissing, and Kenny was extremely patient, but he was not prepared for such a forceful lip-lock. He felt that familiar blood rush and conspicuously adjusted his stance.

Someone cleared their throat and Butters pulled away with a quiet squeak of fear. Kenny spun around, still holding the teddy bear and flowers, and blushed a little. Bebe Stevens stared at them with a knowing smirk on her face; her arms were folded over her chest, and her stature screamed "I knew it!"

"So..." she trailed off, looking up at Kenny with amusement in her eyes, "care to explain?" She teased. He fumbled for words, and Butters quickly hid behind him; he was trying his best not to cry. "I'm kidding!" She breathed, and the bright blonde felt his body ease from the tension.

Kenny took a step forward, Butters peeked from behind the lanky teen, and he sighed sadly at Bebe. "Please..." he trailed off, quieter than Butters had ever heard his voice. "Please don't tell anyone? Not yet." She nodded and smiled softly at him, then squeezed him in a hug.

"Your secret's safe with me," she murmured; he felt his heart clench as he realized just what she meant by that. She had known since they were in junior high that he was attract to more than just girls. It had come out after they both lost their virginity. She confessed to him too. So they decided to maintain a relationship that pleased their parents and kept people from questioning.

They "broke up" when Porsche, also known as Ellie, from Raisins asked her out. It also allowed Kenny to pursue Butters.

Butters smiled weakly at her, and she hugged him as well. She also kissed his cheek and ruffled his hair.

"Are you ditching?" She asked, Kenny nodded. "Me too... I'm surprising Ellie at work." Kenny wiggled his eyebrows and she slugged him in the chest as she pulled away from the two.

"You should..." Butters trailed off, trying his best not to stutter, "you should g-get her flowers," Bebe nodded as she grabbed her purple back from her locker, then zipped her hoodie.

"Of course, everybody loves flowers." She replied chipperly, "now... you two be safe, but if you make a gayby I call godmother!" She cried, then ran down the hall. Butters eyed Kenny, who stuck his tongue out, and blushed. "I love you!"

"Love you too!" Kenny yelled back, then winced as he realized a teacher would probably find out the source of the yelling. So he hurried to get Butters to the cafeteria doors to leave without a single person knowing. He learned the cameras didn't work down that hallway.

"Did she..." the bright blonde trailed off, trying to find the words. Kenny shrugged, then handed the tulips and the bear to Butters, who cuddled the stuffed animal and smelled the flowers.

"She was the first person to know about me, she's cool with it," he whispered, then walked alongside Butters. Their bodies were close together, as they usually walked, that if people were in the hallway no one could tell if they were holding hands or not. This time, they were.

"Thank you for the flowers and the bear," Butters murmured happily, with wide blue eyes that Kenny could never look away from. Kenny hummed with an air of excitement as he led him out the doors, to his family's old beat up truck he managed to steal for the day. Not that his parents would notice. Or care.

"You're more than welcome, m'love," he replied, then softly kissed Butters as they sat down in the old rusted truck. Butters cupped Kenny's cheek and set down the flowers as he scooted closer to his boyfriend, who seemed more than eager for physical contact.

They finally broke away when Butters squirmed uneasily and pulled his hand from the back of Kenny's faded band t-shirt. Butters could faintly read the words Brand New and pressed one final kiss on Kenny's chapped, swollen lips before he unlocked their kiss. Kenny looked rather flushed and a little dazed yet quickly shook it off. Butters crossed his legs and pulled at his long sleeved shirt; today he wore a band t-shirt as well. He had been doing so more often, and usually they were Kenny's. The one he wore today was Flogging Molly; he always wondered what that name meant but never questioned.

"S-so..." Butters gasped a little breathlessly. Kenny looked at him and gripped the steering wheel hard as he turned the ignition. "Where are we going?" Kenny beamed and took his hand momentarily before smiling smugly.

"That's a good question," he replied, "and you won't know til we get there!" Butters groaned in annoyance but felt his insides squirm with excitement and a little anxiety as he thought of the possibilities. He also willed his body to calm down; he couldn't allow himself to do the same thing she saw in his dreams. Not yet at least. Could he? "You okay?" Kenny asked with concern evident in his voice. Butters nodded and squeezed his hand tighter.

"Yeah, I'm good!" he replied, suddenly he found himself almost needing to kiss and touch Kenny; he willed those thoughts away and fiddled with the radio. Kenny shook his head and put a cassette into the tape deck, and grinned. "You still have cassettes?" He asked in shock.

"Yeah, we we have a cassette player and an old record player instead of a stereo. There's nothin' better than playing vinyls, really. Except surround sound, but... whatever. It's still cool." Butters smiled and rested his leg against Kenny's as he scooted even closer. He was now in the middle rather than the passenger seat, and he felt his stomach flutter as Kenny wrapped his arm around his waist and absentmindedly caressed his side.

Kenny sang along to the cassette as he drove and Butters found himself mesmerized by the pure comfort of this scenario. He had never felt so safe. So loved. So... happy. For the first time his heart wasn't overwhelmed by nerves or anxiety. Kenny was so authentic, open, real, and that's why he loved him so much. Because he wasn't afraid to be himself. On the other hand, that was Butters' biggest fear.

But being with Kenny was making him better at that. He found himself opening up. He hadn't bitten his hands so much and now he didn't feel so naïve. Kenny had taught and shown him so many things, in so many ways, and he was eternally grateful for his love, his patience, and his kindness. He was always the most genuine person Butters knew.

And all Kenny wanted was for Butters to be comfortable with him; to feel loved and wanted. But most of all happy. And as he looked down at his boyfriend of eight months he figured, yeah, he probably was happy. Because he saw the light in his eyes and the way he looked at Kenny with pure trust in those innocent baby blues, and he just knew. He knew exactly how he felt and what he was thinking and it hurt his head in his heart. Because it was so beautiful. He was so beautiful. And Kenny knew he was not only the luckiest guy in the world but Butters was way out of his league.

He stopped the truck and turned off the engine as Butters began to nod off. He gently shook his shoulders and Butters looked up with sleepy eyes.

"Kenny..." Butters trailed off and the dark blonde grinned in pride and happiness as he saw the smile on Butters' face.

It was their spot. They were both sure it was a park at one point, but the grass had gone wild and everything was unkempt. A dirt trail led them all the way through the wooded area to the mountains, and Kenny had memorized the number of steps they needed to take.

"879... 880..." he counted, took two more steps, much to the amusement of Butters, then stopped. "Voila!" He cried, then ran down the trail their feet had made in the grass from the countless times they had ventured out here, and Butters laughed loudly as he followed Kenny.

As soon as they reached the meadow, with dead grass and leaves covering the ground, Butters tackled Kenny and cried out as they both fell onto the heavily packed snow. Kenny landed with a grunt on his back, and giggled hysterically as Butters pinned him down and ran a hand through his slightly greasy hair.

"It's freezing," Butters murmured. Kenny raised an eyebrow, smirked, and tried not to laugh as he nodded.

"Comfortable?" He asked, Butters hummed and nodded as he pressed his forehead against Kenny's, and rubbed their noses together. Kenny's was cold against his.

"Very," he murmured, then felt Kenny's lips lock against his in that familiar yet always new, always wonderful, kiss that caused him to squirm in the right ways. "Ken..." Butters slightly moaned a few minutes later as he felt Kenny trying his best to not act out on his desires. "I..." he fought to find the words as he felt his whole body flush and his skinny jeans grow tighter.

Kenny looked up at him with lust-blown eyes yet kept his hands on Butters' waist, as he always did. His cheeks were flared red and his freckles seemed to appear out of the flush; Butters loved seeing them. They usually only appeared in the summer.

"Hmm?" Kenny asked, silently pleading Butters to not move his body any lower because if he did he'd probably freak out when feeling just how Butters made him feel. Yet he did, and Kenny bit his lip as he waited for Butters to quickly pull away from him like he usually did; the apologies already felt guilty on his tongue.

Except this time he felt Butters straddle him, and slowly roll his hips against his. Kenny's eyes rolled in the back of his head; it had been over a year since he had felt this kind of attention and he was more than a little desperate.

Kenny couldn't help but glance down, and felt his mind go haywire as he saw the bulge in Butters' jeans and the look in Butters' eyes as he lowered his face to his once more yet kept that slight pressure on his hips.

"I wanna... I wanna do something new..." Kenny grinned and ran his hands through Butters' soft hair as they kissed once more.

Suddenly he wasn't so cold.

They found themselves walking on weak knees, chilled to the bone, to the truck as the sun began to set. Butters shivered violently as he hugged himself to Kenny, whose nerves still sent little shocks of pleasure through his body as he came down from his euphoria.

He opened the passenger door for Butters, who hurried inside, and Kenny quickly ran to the driver's side and started the car. Butters curled up against him, and sighed loudly, happily. Kenny pressed his lips to Butters' forehead, and rubbed his hands together to try to warm himself up.

"L-Lee?" Kenny asked, using the affectionate nickname he came up with after their second month they were together. He only called him that when they were alone; it was his to call him. No one ever thought to shorten his full name to anything else, and _Butters_ reminded him of everyone else. Butters nodded and looked up at Kenny with slightly dilated eyes.

"Yeah?" He asked and took Kenny's raw hands in his.

"That was incredible." Butters giggled and rested his head on his shoulder.

"You're incredible."

Kenny bit back a grin and finally backed out of what used to be a gravel parking lot. His shoulders wracked with shivers yet he still felt warm, deep down.

"Hey, Lee?" Kenny murmured, rubbing his side lovingly, "Happy Valentine's Day."

"This is the best Valentine's Day ever. I... I love you, Ken." Kenny smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I love you too."

As they drove back to South Park, a forty-minute drive, Butters found himself growing sleepy. He shut his eyes and nestled against Kenny, who kept a protective arm around him as he drove down the lonely street.

He woke up to hear Kenny grumbling about the traffic, and giggled when he saw Kenny flip off the drive who slammed on their breaks at a green light. He rubbed his thigh reassuringly, and watched as the car turned, and looked up at Kenny.

"And now the light's yellow! Fucking asshole," Kenny grumbled as he drove through the yellow light.

A squeal of tires was heard and a loud, blaring horn, filled the quiet night. Butters screamed and Kenny slammed on the breaks as he swerved his truck as he saw the semi-truck barrel down, running the red light.

"KENNY!" Butters cried, tears streamed down his face and he felt Kenny take his hand as he swerved so his side would take the collision.

Metal crushed metal. Gasoline soaked the streets. A hissing of pressure was heard. One door opened as a horn screamed ceaselessly.

* * *

><p>"N-no..." Kyle stammered as he sat on the couch with Stan. Both felt sick to their stomachs and their eyes were red as they waited in the cold room of the hospital. Kyle buried his head in Stan's chest and sobbed.<p>

The McCormicks and the Stotches were on the other side, standing as they waited for the doctors to come out. Carol was crying freely and held onto her husband, who looked angry. The Stotches were pale and dry-eyed.

"Stan, th-they can't be..." he trailed off. His boyfriend shook his head and pressed a kiss to Kyle's forehead.

The waiting room doors opened and a mess of curly blonde hair ran in with bloodshot eyes and wrinkled clothes. Kyle and Stan looked to Bebe with misery in their eyes and she took a shuddered breath.

"I-I got here as fast as I could..." she trailed off and was instantly hugged by Stan and Kyle. "It's not... it's not true, is it?" Stan nodded and her sob was muffled by the cloth on his shirt. "T-they could make it though... couldn't they?"

"They... they had to use the jaws of life to get them out. The truck was bent around the semi and... there was so much blood..." Stan whimpered as he rested his head on Kyle. "They don't deserve this..."

The silence and the wait was deafening. Every second felt like an hour and as time slowly progressed their hope diminished.

There was nothing they could do. Kyle and Stan had seen them, all blood and burns and blonde hair. They could just sit and wait and pray to someone that their best friends would make it out okay. But seeing them that way almost made Kyle hope they didn't have to suffer. Was that wrong? Was that bad?

Stan righted himself as he saw two doctors approach with solemn faces. Bebe looked up with wide eyes as they spoke quietly to Kenny and Butters' parents, and the way Linda fell apart in Stephen's arms. Stuart ran down the hall, and Carol clutched her chest as she leaned against the wall.

"-nothing else we could do, Mr. and Mrs. Stotch, I'm sorry." One doctor said, then walked away with clipboard in hand. The three teens ran up to Carol McCormick, who was struggling to breathe as she looked up at the doctor with red-rimmed eyes.

"All I can say for any relief is your son didn't suffer. He died instantly. Here are some of the items found salvageable in the truck. I'm... I'm very sorry for your losses."

They were dead. Kenny and Butters had died. Just like that. Bebe covered her mouth as tears slipped from her eyes. Kyle hugged her tight and took Stan's hand in his. She had seen them, they were happy, they were... alive. She could have told them to stay. She could have gotten them to go back to class; it wasn't like Butters to skip.

She was the last person to see them alive. But she had told them she loved them. She hugged and kissed them. And they were happy. Happier than she had ever seen them. Most of all they were together.

"W-what..." Carol trailed off as she looked in the small box of items that had been saved from the wreckage of their truck. Kyle, Stan, and Bebe peered inside as well, and the blonde girl let out an audible sob.

Inside the box lay burned tulips and the slightly charred teddy bear. Carol picked it up and found a silver heart attached to the bear's wrist. Kyle looked at it closer and gasped. Engraved were the words, "I love you Leopold."

Stan wiped his eyes and pressed a kiss to his boyfriend's temple, who shook with violent sobs as tears streamed down his face.

"They... they were... together?" he strained to ask through his crying. Stan sniffled and Bebe hugged Carol McCormick.

"No, Ky..." Stan trailed off as he looked up at the ceiling. His vision blurred and his cheeks burned from heat, "they _are_ together." He closed his eyes, and let the tears finally fall. "And they always will be."

* * *

><p><em>Passed out on the overpass <em>_  
><em>_Sunday best and broken glass __  
><em>_Broken down from the bikes and bars __  
><em>_Suspended like spirits over speeding cars __  
><em>_You and me were kings over the parkway tonight __  
><em>_And tonight will go on forever while we __  
>W<em>_alk around this town like we own the streets __  
>A<em>_nd stay awake through summer like we own the heat __  
><em>_Singing "everybody wake up (wake up) it's time to get down" __  
><em>_(Everybody, everybody wake up its time to get down) __  
><em>_And when I pass the bottle back to Pete __  
>O<em>_n the overpass tonight, I bet we laugh __I'm gonna stay eighteen forever (cut me open) __  
><em>_So we can stay like this forever (sun poisoned) __  
><em>_And we'll never miss a party (this offer...)__  
>'C<em>_ause we keep them going constantly (...stands forever)__  
><em>_And we'll never have to listen (new haircut) __  
>T<em>_o anyone about anything (new bracelet) __  
>C<em>_ause it's all been done and it's all been said (eyeliner) __  
>W<em>_e're the coolest kids and we take what we can get__The hell out of this town __  
><em>_Find some conversation __  
><em>_The low fuel lights been on for days __  
><em>_It doesn't mean anything __  
><em>_I've got another 500, 'nother 500 miles __  
><em>_before we shut this engine down, __  
>W<em>_e shut it down __I'm gonna stay eighteen forever (cut me open) __  
><em>_So we can stay like this forever (sun poisoned) __  
><em>_And we'll never miss a party (this offer...)__  
>'C<em>_ause we keep them going constantly (...stands forever)__  
><em>_And we'll never have to listen (new haircut) __  
>T<em>_o anyone about anything (new bracelet) __  
>C<em>_ause it's all been done and it's all been said (eyeliner) __  
>W<em>_e're the coolest kids and we take what we can get (wait forever) __(You're just jealous cause I'm young and in love) __  
><em>_Eighteen forever (first kisses)__  
><em>_(Your stomach's filled up but you're starved for conversation) __  
><em>_So we can stay like this forever (new stitches)__  
><em>_(You're spending all your nights growing old in your bed) __  
><em>_And we'll never miss a party (collar weekend)__  
><em>_(And your tearin' up your photos cause you wanna forget... it's over) __  
>'Ca<em>_use we keep them going constantly (appearance ticket)__  
><em>_(You're just jealous cause I'm young and in love) __  
><em>_And we'll never have to listen (November to...)__  
><em>_(Your stomach's filled up but you're starved for conversation) __  
>T<em>_o anyone about anything cause it's all been done (...remember)__  
><em>_(You're spending all your nights growing old in your bed) __  
>A<em>_nd it's all been said (nightswimmers)__  
><em>_(And your tearin' up your photos cause you wanna forget... it's over) __  
>W<em>_e're the coolest kids and we take what we can get __Just jealous cause we're young and in love __  
><em>_You're just jealous cause we're young and in love __  
><em>_You're just jealous cause we're young and in love __  
><em>_You're just jealous cause we're young and in love __  
><em>_You're just jealous cause we're young and in love __  
><em>_You're just jealous..._


End file.
